Required Immigration Documentation for Family and Dependents

Family members who are not the children or spouse of the F-1 student must apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa to gain entry into the United States. Family members from certain countries may be eligible to travel to the United States to visit for stays of up to 90 days without obtaining a B-1/B-2 visa through the US Department of State Visa Waiver Program.

The following documents are required to apply for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa:

Valid passport

Photographs

Visa application fee

Visa application forms

Additional Required Documents

B-1/B-2 visa applications are sometimes denied. To help strengthen your B-1/B-2 visa application, we recommend that you provide additional documents to clarify that the visit is temporary and/or is for a specific occasion (eg, graduation ceremony), and that the visitor will be supported financially while visiting the United States. Most importantly, the additional documents should show proof of ties to the home country to prove that the visitor does not intend to immigrate to the United States.

Proof of ties to the home country may include proof of economic, social, family, or other commitments that will help demonstrate that the family visitor intends to return home after a temporary stay in the United States. Examples include:

Proof of employment – The best document would be a letter from the employer indicating that this individual is currently employed and is taking time off, but is due back at his or her job on a specific date

Proof of property ownership, such as a house, an apartment, or a business, if such a document exists

Proof of contact with other family members in the home country

Proof of finances – Proof that your family member can support himself/herself during his/her entire stay in the United States without working. Examples include:

A bank statement

Proof of assets such as stocks or property

Proof of a scholarship or fellowship

If you are an employee at the university, a document which shows your position and salary

Proof of your family member’s salary, employment, and/or income

A formal letter of invitation (written by you as the F-1 student) indicating the specific reason for the visit (eg, graduation, wedding, illness, birth of a child). The letter should include information about the purpose of travel and planned itinerary or schedule. It may also include information about your US immigration status as an F-1 student

For more information about B-1/B-2 visas, refer to the US Department of State Visitor Visas.